Books: Local authors suggest summer reads

The sun is shining. You finally have time to lose yourself in a book. But what to read?

By Chris Bergeron/DAILY NEWS STAFF

Wicked Local

By Chris Bergeron/DAILY NEWS STAFF

Posted Jun. 24, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 24, 2013 at 10:14 PM

By Chris Bergeron/DAILY NEWS STAFF

Posted Jun. 24, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 24, 2013 at 10:14 PM

» Social News

The sun is shining. You finally have time to lose yourself in a book. But what to read?

Seven local authors whose tastes are as varied as the books they wrote are sharing suggestions for summertime reading that range from a new biography of Mark "Bird’’ Fidrych’’ to a classic novel of the Civil War, from techno-thrillers about computers run amok to a children’s novel about a lonely boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard.

So toss "Kardashian Konfidential’’ in the trash and save "War and Peace’’ for winter.

With the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg just weeks away, author Fred Wallace recommended Michael Shaara’s "The Killer Angels’’ as "a very readable yet heart-wrenching novel’’ of the climatic battle that shaped the course of American history.

The Framingham town historian, who wrote a biography of Union General George H. Gordon, Wallace said Shaara recounted strategic decisions and battlefield horrors "through the individual voices’’ of grunts, generals and unlikely heroes like Confederate General James Longstreet and Union Colonel Joshua Chamberlain.

After researching his new book on Gordon’s role at Antietam, Wallace is recommending other histories that bring alive the war’s bloodiest battle in ways that will remind readers of the sacrifices made by soldiers and civilians of both sides. They are John Waugh’s "The Class of 1846: From West Point to Appomatox,’’ Stephen Oates’ "The Whirlwind of War’’ and Stephen Sears’ "Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam.’’

After writing about the Red Sox for 20 years, Herb Crehan enjoys reading behind-the-scenes tales that reveal the side of players and coaches that rarely makes the 6 o’clock news.

His top choice for summer reading is Tom Clavin’s new "The DiMaggios: Three Brothers, Their Passion for Baseball, Their Pursuit of the American Dream’’ which chronicles the very different characters of the three brothers raised by Italian immigrant parents who went on to become All Star centerfielders.

The Natick resident, who co-wrote "Lightning in a Bottle’’ about the 1967 Red Sox, has heard very good things about Doug Wilson’s "The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych,’’ whom he called "a genuine character and regular guy’’ whose meteoric pitching career was cut short by injuries.

Author Maryanne O’Hara said, "The older I get, the more I ask of a book.’’

"I’m not really a ‘beach read’ kind of person,’’ observed the Ashland resident whose debut novel "Cascade’’ was selected as a "must read’’ by the Massachusetts Library Association. "There are so many good books. I’m really looking for pages that turn into a complicated character.’’

O’Hara "absolutely loved’’ James Salter’s "All That Is,’’ the first novel the 87-year-old author has written in 35 years, which follows the arc of a man’s life from World War II through his marriage, career and divorce.

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"I found Salter’s prose absolutely beautiful,’’ she said. "It’s a great book for reflection.’’

O’Hara recommended several other novels by authors known for their distinctive prose including Colum McCann’s "TransAtlantic,’’ ostensibly about Irish immigrants, M.J. Rose’s "The Book of Lost Fragrances’’ and British author Jane Gardam’s trilogy that began with "Old Filth’’ about elderly English retirees living in a rundown village.

A prolific writer of maritime disasters, Michael Tougias enjoys tales of people pushed to their limits by natural and manmade calamities.

He called Lauren Hillenbrand, author of "Seabiscuit,’’ one of "the best living writers in America’’ and recommended her new book, "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption.’’

The Mendon resident who recently published his 20th book, "A Storm Too Soon,’’ predicted readers would share his fascination with the remarkable odyssey of Louis Zamperini, a juvenile delinquent, ex–Olympic miler and Air Corps bombardier who spent 47 days at sea in a flimsy life raft only to survive terrible suffering in a Japanese POW camp.

Tougias also recommended Geraldine Brooks’ "absolutely credible’’ historical novel "Caleb’s Crossing’’ about the daughter of a 17th-century Calvinist minister who forms a secret bond with a young Wampanoag boy her father is trying to convert.

The co-author of a book about convicted wife killer Dr. Dirk Greineder, former journalist Tom Farmer favors true stories about people pushed to the breaking point.

He called Jake Tapper’s "The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor" about 53 U.S. soldiers at a remote base in Afghanistan "a heartbreaking and very well-researched story’’ about how poor planning led to unnecessary casualties.

A Boston Herald reporter who wrote "A Murder in Wellesley’’ with retired State Police detective Martin Foley, Farmer also recommended Bill Reynolds’ inspiring tale of Derek Sanderson’s recovery from alcoholism and homelessness, "Crossing The Line: The Outrageous Story of a Hockey Original.’’

Like the three novels she’s written, Miriam Glassman recommends stories that create interesting characters to help young readers face the complex issues of growing up.

The Framingham resident whose recent novel, "Call Me Oklahoma!’’ was chosen for the Summer Reading List at Wellesley Books, called Katherine Applegate’s award-winning novel, "The One and Only Ivan,’’ a "very moving story about courage and friendship, nicely told through the point-of-view of a captive gorilla.’’

While writing for third- and fourth-graders, Glassman recommends challenging and thoughtful novels for young readers like Rita Williams-Garcia’s newest novel, "P.S. Be Eleven,’’ which she described as "a vivid, wise and funny story about race, gender and identity that children today can relate to.’’

In his first novel "Upload,’’ author Collin Tobin wrote a prescient techo-thriller that played equally on readers hopes and fears about living in a digital world.

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A senior quality engineering manager at Adobe Systems, the Hopedale resident said some of this summer’s most thrilling reads are based on our perennial fears of "computers going well beyond their prescribed boundaries.’’

Tobin stressed readers don’t have to be geeks to enjoy Lincoln Child’s novel "Death Match’’ about electronic dating carried to its creepy technological conclusion and Greg Isle’s "The Footprints of God’’ about a supercomputer that will stop and nothing to merge human minds with a machine.’’

"Techno-thrillers starts by suggesting the fulfillment of great promise,’’ said Tobin. "Inevitably, they play more to our fears than hopes.’’